CATHOLIC NEWS.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXIII, Issue 28, 8 November 1895, Page 27

CATHOLIC NEWS.

(From Contemporaries.)

IT is understood that Iceland— that isle of the Arctic regions about which so little ie known — is about to be the Bcene of an apoatolic crusade, conducted by two Danish missionaries. The Holy Father, Leo XIII. has just orderad Mgr J. d'Buch, Vicar-Apostolic of Denmark, to establish immediately a mission on that island, where there is a population of 75,000 soule, all Lutherans, with scarcely a single exception.

A Catbulic newspaper states that the Pope has been presented with a valuable crosß by some wealthy English High Church ladies acd gentlemen. It waß sent over from London with a letter of congratulation, and among the signatures were the names of two canons of the Church of England. Tbe Pope immediately sent the donors bis thanks and blessing, and stated that he would be pleesed to receive them if they visited Rome.

Tbe French Minister of War bae made a graoeful recognition of the services of Sister Angelica, of the Mercy community, Palis, by presenting her with a "medaille d'honneur," on the recommendation of the Medical Inspector-General of the Army. The presentation was made in presence of the military officers and the Sisters of the community, and tbe function was one of great brilliancy, General Commandant M. Arnoux, in presenting tbe medal, referring co the long years which Sister Angelica hal served in the military hospitals of France. " All the Sisters," he added, " have a long past of abnegation and of devotion, but the Minister of War wishes in an especial manner to recognise the twenty-three years service which Sister Angelica has fulfilled."

Writing in the Irish Ecclesiastical Record, the Very Ray William Canon Moser, Peterborough, deals with the question of " The use and abuse of flowers at funerals." He draws a distinction between the obsequies and tbe grave. "It is one thing," he writes " to cultivate flowers on the tomb where onr dead sleep waiting for resurrection ; it is quite another thing to pile them up ronnd tbeir corpses in the days when we are mourning for them. The latter custom, Canon Moser thinks, is of Pagan origin, and opposed to the spirit of the Church and to Christian tradition. "So long as the spirit of the Church held sway over funerals, flowers were not to be seen at them. Only in the evil days of thfc French Revolution did the custom revive in a Chrißtian land of lavibbing fljwers on the coffin of one who was not a saint." It is worthy of note that the tendency of late years has been more and more to dispense with flowers at funerals, and that especially among Ca holies.

At the consecration recently of a church belonging to the Trappißts in Soligny, Fiance, Mgr Tregarr, Bishop tf Seiz, delivered a discourse in which he advocated a strenuous resistance to the official policy of plundering religious property. " The spirit of evil has assumed," said his Lordthip, addressing the Trappisis, " a new aspect. But you who know and who so admirably put ioto practice the Word of God — ' Thou shalt earn thy bread by the sweat of thy brow ' — you know how to courageously resist that spirit. As for us, we will join with you, and whiM on the mountain you raiße your hands in prayer we in the plain will wage the combat. You will be brought before the judicial tribunal?, but He Who has redeemed the world will save you. Let us m ver yield." His Lordstip's words and the immense enthusiam evidenced on the occasion have created not a little commotion in official eire es. Tne Trappist Order is determined to reßist " passively " the fiscal exaction.

About the 24th of February last, Edwin Leigh, of Burnbaves Scotia .Road, Burslem, Staffordshire, being an apprentice to the buildiDg trade, was at work fastening a chimney pot on a bouse when he slipped and fell iff the roof, alighting on hia back across a porch over the doorway. He sustained an injury to the spine. From that day he had lain on his back a helpless cripple. He was attended by resideut doctors in Burslem, and for seven months was an inmate of the Heywood Hospital, from whence he waß discharged as ii curable. Having read of the cures at Holy well, he had the conviction thctt conld he visit Holywell he should be cured. Ttmidia was for some time scouted, but he persisted in bis convictions He was sent to Cefn, near Suabon, for a fortnight to recruit hia health but he felt getting woraa and telegraphed to bis father, wiih the resalt that he was brought on Wednesday, September 3, to Holy well, travelling in the guard's van on a Bpinal reclining chair. He was taken to the Well on bis arrival, and given a bath. The eff ct was magical ; he was no sooner immersed in the water than he jumped oui of the attendant's arms, and ie took three persons to hold rrm. He knew nothing of what waß proceeding aft?r he was put in the We.l, and remembered nothing until he found himself lying at the side of tLe

bath. Ho then said to bis fattier, " Raise me op." They lifted him up, and be stood on his feet. He took his second bath on Thursday, af er which he walked up the steps of tbe Well, and, with assistance a short distance of the road. On Friday morning he weat for a walk round Holywell, and during the day walked a considerable distance, tbe only discount rt he felt being a s lfCoess in tbe limbs and weakness io the ankles. The joy of Mr L igh and bib parents and brother was great, The case excited great iotereat in Holywell, and Mr Leigh beld quite a levee on Friday, so great was the number of peop'e who called on this young man whose cure was the talk of the whole town. Mr Leigh, it should be said, is a Wesley an.